Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card Review

AMERICAN EXPRESS GOLD DELTA SKYMILES® BONUS MILES

Are you a frequent Delta flyer looking to rack up some extra SkyMiles® and earn rewards flights more quickly? New CardName members can earn 70,000 bonus miles once spending $2,000 in purchases on the new card in the first six months. American Express is a CardRatings advertiser.

A welcome bonus offer is almost always a nice perk, but when said bonus can quickly be turned into a free flight, that’s something that really gets our attention. 

Depending on travel location and dates, Delta offers domestic, round-trip plane tickets for as low as 20,000 SkyMiles®, meaning, if you plan it right, you can snag yourself a couple of reward tickets just with the welcome offer alone.

FEATURED CARD

 

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more

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Credit Needed:

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DELTA SKYMILES® GOLD CARD BENEFITS

On an ongoing basis, earn two miles for every $1 spent with Delta, at restaurants worldwide (plus delivery and takeout in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets, and one mile on all other eligible purchases. Plus, if you spend $10,000 on your card in a calendar year, you'll receive a $100 Delta Flight Credit. The CardName can certainly help you get where you're going if you're Delta-loyal.

With no foreign transaction fees, your first bag checked for free on Delta flights, and a waived annual fee for the first year, the CardName puts more money into your pocket, making it a smart choice for frequent travelers. All this for a reasonable AnnualFees (See Rates and Fees).

Other ways the CardName helps cardholders save is by providing its members with one free checked bag on Delta flights and a flight credit once spending $10,000 in a calendar year – two small perks that could add up big for those who travel often.

Lastly, as travel hiccups are bound to happen, we’ve come to love the protection perks that come along with being a CardName member. With its available insurance plans, when using your card to pay for your travel expenses, the CardName can help to cover the cost of eligible lost, damaged or stolen baggage, as well as help cover any expenses you may incur if your car rental is damaged or stolen.

POTENTIAL DELTA SKYMILES® GOLD CARD DOWNSIDES

Though a good base-level credit card, some of the CardName perks seem a bit sub-par when compared to other American Express Delta Airlines credit cards. The CardName and the CardName, for example, both include bonus opportunities to rack up status miles with the airline, a valuable feature for frequent travelers. If you are truly Delta-loyal, you may find that the perks and features of one of these higher tier cards make them well worth their annual fees.

DELTA SKYMILES® GOLD CARDHOLDER SCORES

CardRatings conducts a survey annually to learn what actual cardholders think of their cards. Here are the results:

HOW DELTA SKYMILES® GOLD COMPARES TO OTHER CARDS

Delta SkyMiles® Gold vs. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum

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The CardName comes with a more sizeable annual fee of AnnualFees, but this cost could certainly be worth it for the right kind of Delta traveler.

The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum card is packed full of travel benefits. Cardholders can enjoy: Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of the card (Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights - for itineraries with up to four flight segments - is required); discounted Delta Sky Club access (for a discounted fee of $39 per person, you and up to two traveling companions can relax before your flight in the Delta Sky Club); a statement credit available every four years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit available every 4.5 years after you apply for a five year TSA PreCheck® membership (up to $85); baggage insurance; and more. On an ongoing basis cardholders earn 3X miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels and 2X miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets. Furthermore, earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months.

Considering all the perks that come with the Platinum card, the annual fee hardly seems like much as it can so easily be offset. If you're a frequent Delta traveler, going with the more premium Platinum card could have its advantages. However, if you're only an occasional Delta travel, you may be better suited with the Gold card.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred®

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Though the 60,000 points you receive for spending $4,000 in the first three months with CardName are a nice perk, the spending threshold is more than what the CardName requires. Even with the high spending requirement, 60,000 points is a still a great bonus and it's worth as much as $750 in travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

CardName cardholders earn 5X total points on all travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal; 3X points on dining, including eligible delivery services and takeout; 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); 3X points on select streaming services; 2X points on travel purchases; and 1X point on all other purchases. Better yet, points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, so there's potential to stretch your rewards really far.

Furthermore, CardName points can be redeemed through a number of different airlines, providing its users with more scheduling flexibility than CardName cardholders enjoy. The difference here really comes down to the difference between a more general travel rewards card and a branded option. If you want to keep things flexible the CardName might be a great fit for you, but if your loyalty is with Delta, a SkyMiles® card may be the better fit.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold vs. Capital One Venture

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The CardName is another great option for those looking for more flexible travel options. With this card, cardholders earn unlimited 2X miles on all purchases, no matter the vendor. From buying new luggage to purchasing groceries to booking a hotel room, you'll earn 2X miles on it all. Redemption options are flexible as well. From campsite bookings to Airbnb stays, to cruises to train tickets, this card allows you to cover almost any travel purchase with your rewards. It also offers Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership reimbursement, which is a nice perk for a card with such a manageable annual fee (AnnualFees). Plus, if you're searching for a card with a good welcome bonus, this card is sure to make you perk up: new cardholders can earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

IS DELTA SKYMILES® GOLD CARD WORTH IT?

Thanks to its great welcome offer, no foreign transaction fees and other travel perks such as free checked baggage, the CardName is solid option for frequent travelers loyal to the Delta brand.

Survey Methodology: CardRatings commissioned Op4G in September and October 2022 to conduct surveys among 1,554 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings website analytics from Jan. 1, 2022-Aug. 31, 2022 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards and additional cards were included to add survey breadth. Responses to each of nine questions were given on a scale of 1-10 and respondents' scores were then averaged under broad topics. To determine the overall score, responses from questions 1-8 were summed and the answer to "How likely are you to recommend this card to a friend, coworker or family member?" was double weighted. "Current Scores" reflect scores from the most recent survey (2022); "Past Scores" reflect scores from the 2021 survey.

To see the rates and fees for American Express cards mentioned in this article, please see the following links: CardName (See Rates and Fees); CardName (See Rates and Fees); CardName (See Rates and Fees)